Multi-storied building toy



Dec. 31, 1957 E. F. SCHRADER MULTI-STORIED BUILDING TOY Filed Sept. 7, 1956 L, L M .T w] 1 C H c M M a 4 m 2% J/Zr. 2

2,817,924 Murrr'sroamn'mrnnseror Eawara 'Fnsuiraaracompma; Calif.

Applicatiomseptember 7, 1956, SerialNo. 608,451:

1 Claim. (Cl? 46 12) The presentginventionrelatesagenerally to the field'of nited States Patenet) amusement devic es; and'more particularly to ato'y..;that is not onlysinteresting for a I child to: assemble .but amusing to play with-as well after it is assembled.

A major .objectof the: present invention is to' provide a toy-that embodiesa-nurnber of components which can be assembled to simulate-the appearance -of a multiI-storied building; and .whenvthe components areso assembled they define a vertically extending enclosure in-.-which. an elevator may be raisedrand lowered toan-y..oneof-the floors provided in=the structure.

Anothersobjeet-of the invention is toprovidela multistoried structure-that 'is particularly. adapted to support a downwardly spiralingtrack onswhichta miniature or..toy vehicle may be movably disposed-71o circle .do'wnwardly by-force ob -gravity.

Yet anothemobject gof the invention .is "toasupplyaan amusement-device oflrelatively simple structurev that can be fabrieated from standard; commercially available .materials, does notrequire elaborate.plantnfacilities for-:its productiom: and -due to .theafact that it is adapted-for fabrication from-tsoft wood ortothen inexpensive rigid-materials, can be retailed as a toy at a correspondinglylow price.

A still further":objecfiof thez invention-is toprovide a device that is not-only entertaining for a child to assemble and use, but which' 'is of'educational value in that the Another objectofthe-invention is to supply" an amusement device that occupies'aminimurn' 'of "space'priorf to assembly whereby it may-be retaileddn a relatively small package. 7

These and other objects'and advantages of theinvention willbecome apparentfrom-the'followingdescription of a preferred form thereof," and from the drawing illustratin'gthti't form; in" which Figure-1 is a-perspective view ofthe' invention showing the multi-story portion and the elevator-defining structure thereof when assembled;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the multistory structure and elevator means taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1',

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of an exterior side portion of the device showing a portion of the elevator-defining means;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the invention taken on line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the invention showing the downwardly spiraling ramp attached to the exterior portions thereof;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the ramp removably affixed to the upper deck of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a transversely extending portion of the ramp;

2,817,924 Patented.Dec. 31, 19.57

Figure 8 is-.,a perspective view oftwo sections of "the ramp sho'wing the mannerin whichtheyare removably affixed tolonei'another in abutting position; and 1.

Figure 9 is a combined vertical cross-sectional and elevationall view of the rampfshowinga modifiedsform" of vehicle "movablyl supported on the -exterior rail..of.1the

ramp.

Referringto the dra'win'g, jand particularlyto Figures 1 and'Y2-'the'reof-for the general 'arrangementfof the" in vention, it willbeseen 'toincludea base ringe10' of .wood or'other rigid material vinwhich"a number of circumferentially spaced downwardly extending j tapered' bores 12' are formed that snugly v.receive the lowerend portions of upwardly extending supporting rods 14. Anumber'of circular sheets of .rigid material are provided, .each l-of whichserve asa floor, as can be seen in'Figure 2,' andIfoi' the sake of. clarity herein are identified bylthe" numerals F-;2, F-3, F 4, F-'5 and fF-6, 'witlreach numerical suffixdenotingaparticular floor in the toy structure. Annmber of .c'ircumferentially spaced,'vertically 'ext'endin-gIbores 18 are.formed insheets .F+2 to- F-'6, 'whic-hjbores are invertic'al alignment with bores 16.for me'd intorring 10. A number of? tubular spacers 20 are provided that are mountedbntthe rods. 14 to support the. flo'drsF-Z toF- 6, inclusive, in the. spacedv relationship. shown: .in. Figure 2. Centrally. disposed. .circ'ular openings. 0-2 Z'to'. 0 6. are also .for'medQin'floorsF l to F46 respectively, .andQth'e'se openingsvh'a'vea number of. circumfientiallyj.extending, vertically..- aligned. .slots .22'. :formedf-therein. that. extend .outWardlythe refrom asshown in Figured. .Slots 22l areiof .lyabove the. upper surface of .floor..F-li6.'.

Two circular .rigid..plates..26 andf28 areprovided that are slightly. larger irl cross .section than openings ..O-.2 f to 0-6. Slots..26 a1 and 28a; respectively, [are formedlin plates 26..and.28, which slots are .engage'd: by.-.the lowenand upper endrportionsof .guides..24. The lowerrportionof guides -24 .(Figure 2) are-.slightlybowed outby. plate 26, and plate .28 similarly. bows the upper .-'p ortions ...of.:the guides; .Thi's rbowing. outaof'theiguides, due .toathel resili'ency of the. material forming .same; causes. themguid es to= grip ,the plates and hold. them. in...the.. positionwshown in FigurewZ, Ias well. as :maintainthe guides. in .slots" 0-2 to.O-.6. In this manner the .fioor-defining-means. shown in Figures 1 and 2, and the elevator-defining...structurewalso shown, are held together asan'integral unit..

An elevator E .is provided (Figure: 2) .that..is vertically movablewithinthe confineslofguides 24; ElevatonEincludes a circular-floor memben30, a.circularrtop,32 and-a number of .-circumferentially. spaced, ,vertically. extending members .34: preferably formed-of. wire: :or..the.:like,-.:that

.aremutwardly disposedtrom the-bottom 30.and-top .;2 and slidably engage the channel-shaped guides 24. The rigid members 34 can be affixed by the use of inwardly bent end portions 34a, as shown in Figure 3, that are imbedded in the material forming the bottom 30 and top 32, or by other fastening means as preferred. The plate 28 has a circularly disposed, downwardly extending bore 36 formed therein through which a string 38 is inserted that has a pull ring 40 mounted on the free end thereof. String 38 extends downwardly to a screw 42 having an eye formed therein, which screw is rigidly affixed to the top 32 of elevator E. A number of vertically aligned slots 8-2 to 8-6 inclusive, are formed on the exterior portions of floors F-2 to F-6 as shown in Figure 1, and the string 38 is slidably disposed in these slots. When the string 38 is pressed into these slots, or into just one of them, the elevator is held at any desired position relative to a selected floor F-2 to F-6 (Figure 2),

The above-described form of the invention provides an interesting childrens toy which is a challenge to assemble, and by manipulation of the string 38 after assembly thereof, the elevator Ecan be used to carry small objects such as playthings from the floor 44 to one of the desired floors F-2 to F-6, and the plaything (not shown) then rolled from the elevator onto the selected floor. For instance, a toy automobile T such as shown in phantom line in Figure 7, may be hauled from the floor 44 to one of the floors F-2 to F-6 on the elevator E and then moved therefrom onto the selected floor.

As an added feature, a spiral, downwardly extending ramp R or runway may be provided after the toy is as sembled. The runway is preferably formed of curved sections of rigid material and defined by a curved base 46 that has an inwardly disposed, upwardly projecting curb 48 and an outwardly disposed. rail 50. One or more transversely disposed support bars 500 are rigidly aflixed to the lower surface of base 46, and the support bars are provided with a resilient clamp 52, as shown in Figure 7, that engages one of the spacers 20 or a U-shaped gripping clamp 54 formed with resilient legs as shown in Figure 6, that snap on the exterior portions of the floors F-Z to F-6 to support the ramp sections in the manner shown in Figure 5. Alternate sections of the ramp R are provided with prongs 48a and 50a that project from the ends of curb 48 and rail 50 to engage a recess 48b and a slot 50b formed in the adjoining end portions of the rail section. In other words, on one end of each ramp section prongs 48a and 50a extend from the curb 48 and rail 50, and on the opposite end recess 48b and slot 50b are formed, as shown in Figure 8. The rail 50 preferably has a longitudinally extending groove 54 formed along the upper surface thereof in which a marble 56, shown in phantom line, may be disposed at an elevated position to roll downwardly in the groove for the amusement of the child.

Each rail 50 also has a longitudinally extending groove 58 formed in the interior surface portion thereof (Figure 7). Grooves 54 and 58 serve as guides for a vertically disposed wheel 60 and a horizontally disposed wheel 62 that are rotatably supported on an inverted J-shaped hanger 64 which supports a car body 66 of any desired fanciful design on the lower extremity thereof. If desired, the car 66 may be provided with rollers 68 rotatably mounted thereon to permit the car body to be moved over floor 44. When it is desired to use the car body 66 in conjunction with the invention, the body is raised to an elevated position and the wheels 60 and 62 placed in the grooves 54 and 58, whereby the car body 66 can spiral downwardly following the configuration of the ramp due to the force of gravity.

The invention just described can be used either with or without the ramp R, but with the ramp the device provides a structural toy which has more amusement value than that of the first described structure alone.

The use and operation of the invention have been described in detail and need not be repeated herein.

The structural portion of the invention has been illustrated as having multi-storied floors of a circular shape,

but it will be apparent that these floors can, without de parting from the invention, be square, hexagonal, or other desired shape.

Although the form of the invention herein shown and described is fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore mentioned, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment thereof and that I do not mean to limit myself to the details of construction herein shown and described other than as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

An educational action toy adapted to develop the skill of a child in assembling a plurality of grouped elements into an integral unit, including: a base having a plurality of spaced first bores formed therein; a plurality of rods, the end portions of which are adapted to removably engage said bores to support said rods in upright position; a plurality of sheets of substantially the same overall size as said base, each of which sheets have a central opening formed therein as well as a plurality of second bores that are vertically alignable with said first bores and a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots that extend outwardly from said opening; a plurality of tubular spacers adapted to be slidably mounted on said rods and hold said sheets in spaced relationship when said second bores and rods are in engagement; a plurality of vertically positionable guides that are adapted to be removably mounted in said slots; an elevator vertically movable within the confines of said guides; means to raise and lower said elevator; a wheeled vehicle; a plurality of curved ramp segments that are adapted to be removably joined to define a downwardly spirally path; and means to removably support said segments from said spacers, which segments when so supported permit a child to raise said vehicle by said elevator to the elevation of any one of said sheets, roll said vehicle across said sheet to which it is raised, deposit said vehicle on said ramp segments and permit said vehicle to spirally travel downwardly thereon to the floor surface on which said toyis supported.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 219,392 Donkersley Sept. 9, 1879 268,748 Stewart Dec. 5, 1882 302,463 Alexander July 22, 1884 763,036 Austin et al. June 21, 1904 854,185 Traver May 21, 1907 1,039,545 Knight Sept. 24, 1912 1,538,341 Lancaster et al May 19, 1925 1,782,369 Smith Nov. 18, 1930 2,000,808 Williams May 7, 1935 2,522,133 Sanders Sept. 12, 1950 2,523,508 Ledgett Sept. 26, 1950 2,676,114 Buranelli Apr. 27, 1954 2,776,522 Schramm et al. Jan. 8, 1957 

